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Mosquito (Mech)
Description The Mosquito was conceived during the height of the Clan invasion as a light harassing and sniper unit capable of operating independently or as part of a scout lance on the enemies flanks or in their rear areas. But due to the lack of proper technologies needed to meet the designs specifications the design was shelved. It wasn't until 3070, during the chaotic days of the Jihad, that the necessary technologies were made available to the Confederation. To achieve the designs rather extreme demands the designers were forced to cut weight wherever possible. A massive XL Engine, an XL Gyro, and a small cockpit were shoehorned into the endo-steel chassis along with a MASC system, Targeting Computer, and the requisite Guardian ECM Suite and double strength freezers required by the Ceres Stealth Armor. The armor itself, all of 1 ton, was spread incredibly thin due to all that the chassis had been forced to contain. This lack of protection wasn't seen as a problem however due to the designs combined speed, reach, and stealth systems. The Mosquito was put into limited production in 3075 and saw its first wide scale deployment with McCarron's Armored Cavalry where it soon proved that it had been aptly named. A pair of Mosquitoes from the 4th MAC were the deciding factor in the dislodging of a heavy Blake company during the retaking of Terra in 3078. Their hit and run tactics on the company's flanks so frustrated the Blake commander that he was forced to devote an entire lance of his heavy mechs, along with the units accompanying armor, to force them off. The pair of Mosquitoes managed to lure their perusers out of mutual support range of the rest of the company which allowed the other MAC units to spearhead a drive between the split units and defeat them in detail. Despite its success as a harassment unit its large price tag for a 20 ton mech has led to it being nicknamed "The Golden Bug" by its detractors, of which there are many in the CCAF's Procurement and Maintenance Offices. They also point out the designs total dependence on a single ammunition fed weapon but so far their arguments against the design haven't been able to outweigh its record. Armament The MSQ-14 is armed with a single Light AC/2 which is linked to a Targeting Computer to make sure its shots count. Two tons of ammunition are provided to keep it in the fight for extended periods. Mosquitoes are typically supplied with Precision munitions to ensure better hit percentages though this does cut into ammunition storage. The combination of the Targeting Computer and the Precision rounds allow for amazingly accurate pin point firing, often specifically targeting areas previously stripped of their armor by other attacks to maximize the chances of a catastrophic hit. Variants So far the Mosquito has only spawned a single variant and it is aimed at satisfying the designs detractors. The MSQ-15M replaces the Light AC/2 and its attendant Targeting Computer with a pair of LRM-5s with a ton of ammunition between them as well as a single Extended Range Medium Laser to provide it with a non-ammunition dependent weapon systems, though Ceres does warn that any pilot who needs to use the laser most likely won't last long enough for it to matter. BV = 774 References